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Query: UMLS:C0032273 (pneumoconiosis)
 1,578 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Study of lung tissue from necropsy of a 58-year-old arc welder with arc welders' pneumoconiosis, confirmed by history, chest radiography, and pathology, demonstrates the versatility and usefulness of new techniques in scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Secondary electron imaging, the most familiar SEM mode, showed heavy cellular infiltrates in alveoli, the interstitium, and within the interstices of loose whorled fibrotic nodules. Backscattered electron imaging, in which contrast is proportional to elemental atomic number, revealed intracellular metal particles not otherwise visible. Microprobe analysis, energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry, mapped elemeental iron over the particle image and identified traces of silicon in the whorled nodules. Arc welders' pneumoconiosis appears to be more than a benign siderosis resulting from particulate iron deposition. Simultaneous exposure to other components of welding fumes may alter the pathologic picture, inducing a more complicated fibrotic reaction. The more recently developed advanced techniques of SEM are well suited to the study of pneumoconioses and other problems of heterogenous tissue and mixed chemical systems.
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PMID:Arc Welders' pneumoconiosis: application of advanced scanning electron microscopy. 68 34

Thirty-five subjects employed in a phosphoric acid producing plant were studied by the authors. The investigation included: history, according to the C.E.C.A. questionnaire for chronic bronchitis and emphysema; physical examination, chest X-ray spirometry and lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide by the steady state method (DLCOSS). High prevalence of chronic bronchitis (45.7%), obstructive spirometric impairment (37.1%), and decreased values of DlcoSS (31.4%) were detected. Two subjects were found to be affected with p 1/0 and 7 with p 0/1 pneumoconiosis. Such findings were significantly related to the lenght of working activity as well as to dust and gaseous fluoride (hydrofluoric acid, hexafluorosilicic acid and silicon tetrafluoride) exposure.
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PMID:[Chronic broncopneumopathy and pneumoconiosis in workers employed in phosphoric acid production (author's transl)]. 86 15

Slate is a metamorphic rock comprising silica, aluminum silicates, and small amounts of chlorite, hematite, magnetite, and various carbonates. In the United States slate is quarried in Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont. Workers are exposed during mining and processing of the slate and in crushing mills that prepare gravel. We have conducted detailed mineralogic and pathologic studies on the lungs of 12 workers who developed a pneumoconiosis while employed in the quarries of west central Vermont and adjacent areas of New York. Perivascular and peribronchial lesions accompanied by interstitial fibrosis and macules were scattered diffusely in the lungs. The lesions were associated with a variable number of silicotic nodules. Scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry demonstrated aluminum and silicon-containing particles with variable cationic constituents and silicon alone in a pattern typical of free crystalline quartz. By x-ray diffraction analysis the majority of the mineral particulates were free crystalline quartz and muscovite, an aluminum silicate in the mica group of minerals. Slateworkers are exposed to respirable airborne dust that has the capacity to produce a pneumoconiosis that differs from classic silicosis.
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PMID:Slateworker's pneumoconiosis. 139 38

In recent years, with the aging of patients with pneumoconiosis, autoimmune diseases as a complication have been observed. One of the reasons for this may be that autoimmune diseases are prone to develop among the elderly. On the other hand, it has been reported that dust itself, such as silica for example, has adjuvant effect. A review of the recent literature published in Japan and abroad was made to clarify the relationship between pneumoconiosis and autoimmune diseases and the following results were obtained. 1) Disorders which accompany pneumoconiosis: Scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and disorders of the kidney and liver have been reported. In Japan, about 30 cases of pneumoconiosis accompanied with autoimmune diseases have been reported. In many of the reports, patients with pneumoconiosis and scleroderma have a past history of exposure to silica. In both case studies and case control studies, patients with rheumatoid arthritis and history of silica exposure are prone to develop pneumoconiosis. 2) Immunological studies of patients with pneumoconiosis: As for humoral immunity, elevation of polyclonal gamma-globulin, especially IgG, has been often reported together with high positive rate of autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibodies. In cellular immunity, decreased delayed type skin reaction and decreased CD4/8 ratio have been reported. In human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing the elevated frequency of DR4 has been reported. In the study of BAL increased production of superoxide anion O2- by alveolar macrophages has been observed. 3) EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES: Silica is well known for its toxicity to cells and also for its adjuvant effect. In the German Democratic Republic, patients with scleroderma and history of long term silica exposure are recognized as patients with occupational disease even though pneumoconiosis is not clearly demonstrated on X-ray film. It is difficult from this review to nrake a definite conclusion regarding the relation between silicosis and autoimmune diseases. There is a need to repeat this review of the literature on autoimmune diseases and pneumoconiosis in the near future.
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PMID:[Relationship between autoimmune diseases and pneumoconiosis]. 140 2

Silicosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) are two relatively common occupational diseases. Silicosis is the most common pneumoconiosis in the United States. It results from inhalation of the particulate form of quartz or other crystalline forms of silicon dioxide with a diameter of less than 5 micrograms. CWP is the result of inhalation of carbon particles. Pathologic features of the two diseases differ, yet their radiologic features are identical. Simple pneumoconiosis is characterized by multiple small rounded opacities of 1 to 5 mm in diameter and with a bias for the upper lung zones. Complicated pneumoconiosis results from confluence of small opacities into large opacities that form conglomerate masses or progressive massive fibrosis.
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PMID:Standard imaging in silicosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis. 141 Mar 5

Two hundred and sixty seven workers employed in the manufacture of silicon carbide (SiC) were examined to determine the effects of exposure to contaminants (SiC, quartz, and SO2) in the workplace on pulmonary function. No exposure concentrations exceeded the current permissible limits. Ten subjects (3.7%) showed rounded opacities (profusion greater than or equal to 1/0). Two subjects employed only in the final stages of the production process and not exposed to crystalline silica showed opacities (profusion q1/0 and q2/1) on x ray film suggesting a role of SiC in the genesis of interstitial lung disease. Chest abnormalities on x ray film were correlated with cumulative exposure to dust and pulmonary function was affected by cumulative dust exposure, profusion of opacities, and smoking. It is concluded that the current standards do not provide adequate protection against pneumoconiosis and chronic pulmonary disease in this industry.
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PMID:Pulmonary impairment in workers exposed to silicon carbide. 163 8

The relationship between biochemical changes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), serum and the lung of different dustexposed rats was studied. Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: 1. Xingkong chrysotile asbestos (CH-As); 2. Dust in a sieve selection workshop of Xingkong asbestos mine (Dust-Wo); 3. Silica group (SiO2); 4. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and 5. Normal control group (Control). All the rats were killed in three months after experiment. The results showed that the level of alveolar macrophages (AM), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and acid phosphatase (AcP) in each group was marked by related to collagen, lung fat, ceruloplasmin (Cp) and hydroxyproline (HoP) by r and t-test. Among the LDH from BALF, culture fluid and serum, there was also a marked relationship. So the authors pointed out that the BALF especially AM and LDH test could serve as a good and valuable index for detection the condition of pneumoconiosis.
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PMID:[The relationship of biochemical changes among bronchoalveolar lavage fluid serum and lung on dust-exposed rats]. 166 Aug 48

Medical examinations were performed of 138 pneumoconiosis (PC), 123 dust bronchitis (DB) cases and 28 pulmonary cases of non-occupational etiology. Fiber bronchoscopy with biopsy of bronchial mucosal tissue and, if necessary, transbronchial biopsy were performed in all the cases. Bronchial mucosa tattooing in persons exposed to different industrial aerosols did not depend on the forms of PC, DB and the diseases' stages. Nevertheless, it was established that, at more expressed stages of the disease and in case with complications (anthraco-tuberculosis), tattooing of the bronchial tree was more developed. In 92.3% cases, tattooing was formed in persons exposed to industrial aerosols containing more than 10% free silicon deoxide. On the tissue level, the morphologic substrate of the tattooing was lymphatic nodes obturating the coniophages and the coniotic infiltration of the bronchial mucosa connective tissue. Anthraco-tuberculosis induced specific inflammation contributed to the infiltration process due to the lymphodynamic disorders caused by lymphadenopathy.
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PMID:[Tattooing of the bronchial mucosa in patients with pneumoconiosis and dust bronchitis]. 191 5

A mineralogical analysis of lung tissue was conducted on 25 samples from patients who had been diagnosed as having idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) at low magnification and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis (EDXA) was used. In all samples, the surface silicon/sulfur (Si/S) ratio was calculated. The Si/S ratio for 25 samples of normal lung and 6 samples of pneumoconiotic lung was also determined (upper limit of normal Si/S ratio = 0.3). The difference between the Si/S ratio in the group with IPF and group with normal lung tissue was significantly significant (p less than .007, Wilcoxon test). Six of 12 patients with a previous diagnosis of IPF and a Si/S ratio greater than 0.3 had an exposure history that could imply inhalation of silica/silicates, and the correct diagnosis for these patients is most probably pneumoconiosis. The silica/silicate deposits detected in patients with IPF, and who had a ratio and no past exposure to dusts, could be either a cause or an effect of the disease.
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PMID:Mineralogical microanalysis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. 216 43

Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements show that grinding of quartz particles in air produces silicon-based (Si. and SiO.) radicals which decay with aging in air. ESR spin trapping measurements provide evidence for the generation of hydroxyl and possibly superoxide radicals from a suspension of fresh quartz particles. The hydroxyl radical generation potential of the fresh quartz particles decreases on storing in ambient air and on the addition of catalase, superoxide dismutase, desferroxamine, or DMSO. Silica-induced lipid peroxidation also decreases on storing the fresh particles in ambient air. These findings suggest that oxygenated radicals play a role in the biochemical mechanism of pneumoconiosis in general and acute silicosis in particular.
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PMID:ESR spin trapping and cytotoxicity investigations of freshly fractured quartz: mechanism of acute silicosis. 216 64


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